Nanotechnology is a key enabling technology with billions of euros in global investment from public funding, which include large collaborative projects that have investigated environmental and health safety aspects of nanomaterials, but the reuse of accumulated data is clearly lagging behind. Here we summarize challenges and provide recommendations for the efficient reuse of nanosafety data, in line with the recently established FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) guiding principles. We describe the FAIR-aligned Nanosafety Data Interface, with an aggregated findability, accessibility and interoperability across physicochemical, bio–nano interaction, human toxicity, omics, ecotoxicological and exposure data. Overall, we illustrate a much-needed path towards standards for the optimized use of existing data, which avoids duplication of efforts, and provides a multitude of options to promote safe and sustainable nanotechnology.

The field of nanoinformatics is rapidly developing and provides data driven solutions in the area of nanomaterials (NM) safety. Safe by Design approaches are encouraged and promoted through regulatory initiatives and multiple scientific projects. Experimental data is at the core of nanoinformatics processing workflows for risk assessment. The nanosafety data is predominantly recorded in Excel spreadsheet files. Although the spreadsheets are quite convenient for the experimentalists, they also pose great challenges for the consequent processing into databases due to variability of the templates used, specific details provided by each laboratory and the need for proper metadata documentation and formatting. In this paper, we present a workflow to facilitate the conversion of spreadsheets into a FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) database, with the pivotal aid of the NMDataParser tool, developed to streamline the mapping of the original file layout into the eNanoMapper semantic data model. The NMDataParser is an open source Java library and application, making use of a JSON configuration to define the mapping. We describe the JSON configuration syntax and the approaches applied for parsing different spreadsheet layouts used by the nanosafety community. Examples of using the NMDataParser tool in nanoinformatics workflows are given. Challenging cases are discussed and appropriate solutions are proposed.

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun in summer can cause skin cancer and in Britain there are around 1500 new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) each year, caused by exposure to solar UV at work. Little is known about the magnitude of UV exposure amongst outdoor construction workers in Britain, although this is one of the main groups at risk. The aim of this paper is to summarise measurements of erythema-weighted UVB radiation amongst construction workers in Scotland and the Southeast of England and interpret the data in terms of the risk of NMSC. The measurements were made as part of an intervention study using short mobile phone text messages to alter worker behaviour to either reduce UV exposure in summer or increase serum vitamin D in winter; the intervention is only briefly reported here. Data were collected from 67 workers from 9 worksites, of whom 41 provided measures of UV exposure for 758 working days. Daily exposure ranged from 0 to 13.47 standard erythema dose (SED), with the mean exposure for outdoor workers being 2.0 SED and the corresponding value for indoor workers being 0.7 SED. These data were obtained from a sensor located on the back of the workers hard hat; others have measured exposure on the wrist or upper arm and these locations probably, on average, have higher levels of UV exposure. It is likely that an outdoor construction worker in Britain could accumulate sufficient solar UV exposure over 30-40 years of work to more than double their risk of NMSC. We argue that employers in Britain should take a more proactive approach to manage sun safety and they should take responsibility for skin health surveillance for their workers.

ObjectivesTo examine associations between occupational exposures to rubber dust, rubber fumes and N-nitrosamines and non-cancer mortality.MethodsA cohort of 36 441 males aged 35+ years employed in British rubber factories was followed-up to 2015 (94% deceased). Competing risk survival analysis was used to assess risks of dying from non-cancer diseases (respiratory, urinary, cerebrovascular, circulatory and digestive diseases). Occupational exposures to rubber dust, rubber fumes, N-nitrosamines were derived based on a population-specific quantitative job-exposure matrix which in-turn was based on measurements in the EU-EXASRUB database.ResultsExposure–response associations of increased risk with increasing exposure were found for N-nitrosomorpholine with mortality from circulatory diseases (subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) 1.17; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.23), ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (SHR 1.19; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.26), cerebrovascular disease (SHR 1.19; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.32) and exposures to N-nitrosodimethylamine with respiratory disease mortality (SHR 1.41; 95% CI 1.30 to 1.53). Increased risks for mortality from circulatory disease, IHD and digestive diseases were found with higher levels of exposures to rubber dust, rubber fumes and N-nitrosamines sum, without an exposure-dependent manner. No associations were observed between rubber dust, rubber fumes and N-nitrosamines exposures with mortality from asthma, urinary disease, bronchitis, emphysema, liver disease and some digestive diseases.ConclusionsIn a cohort of rubber factory workers with 49 years of follow-up, increased risk for mortality from circulatory, cerebrovascular, respiratory and digestive diseases were found to be associated with cumulative occupational exposures to specific agents.

Excessive exposure to solar ultra-violet (UV) radiation can cause skin cancer, but inadequate exposure to sunlight limits the production of vitamin D. We report a text messaging and supportive smartphone app intervention to reduce UV exposure in the summer and promote vitamin D intake in winter. Results suggest that many workers had insufficient circulating vitamin D in winter, but for the intervention group vitamin D levels increased significantly compared to the control group. In summer, workers were exposed to relatively high UV levels, which were sufficient to importantly increase their risk skin cancer. The sun-safe intervention failed to reduce exposure to solar UV, which we attribute to an entrenched belief that a suntan is desirable. We argue that a more prescriptive risk-based approach is needed to reduce the risk of skin cancer among outdoor construction workers. [GRAPHICS] .

The use of knowledge transfer methodologies in safety and health has been limited. This paper reports on a larger project which examined sources of knowledge available, knowledge transfer and the skills required for knowledge transfer. Using a mixed-methods approach including review, a questionnaire survey of practitioners and twelve organisational based case studies; the project identified a number of key skills that influence the success of knowledge transfer interventions. Key skills identified within the research include being able to identify authoritative sources of knowledge, the ability to translate knowledge into local language and finding the best way of communicating knowledge and information.

Objectives To quantitatively evaluate exposure-response associations between occupational exposures to rubber dust, fumes and N-nitrosamines and cancer mortality in the UK rubber industry. Methods Competing risk survival analyses were used to examine cancer mortality risk in a cohort of 36 441 males aged 35+ years employed in the British rubber industry in 1967, followed up to 2015 (94% mortality). Exposure measurements are based on a population-specific quantitative job-exposure matrix for rubber dust, rubber fumes and N-nitrosamines from the EU-EXASRUB project. Results Exposure (lifetime cumulative (LCE))-response associations were found for N-nitrosomorphiline and all cancers (subdistribution HR (SHR) 1.48, 95% CI 1.39 to 1.57) and cancers of the bladder, stomach, multiple myeloma, oesophagus, prostate and pancreas, as well as for N-nitrosodimethylamine and all cancers (SHR 2.08, 95% CI 1.96 to 2.21) and cancers of the bladder, stomach, leukaemia, multiple myeloma, prostate and liver. LCE to the N-nitrosamines sum were associated with increased risks from all cancers (SHR 1.89, 95% CI 1.78 to 2.01) and cancers of the lung, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and brain. LCE to rubber dust and fumes are associated with increased mortality from all cancers (rubber dust SHR 1.67, 95% CI 1.58 to 1.78; rubber fumes SHR 1.91, 95% CI 1.80 to 2.03) and cancers of the bladder, lung, stomach, leukaemia, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, oesophagus, prostate, pancreas and liver. Conclusions Consistent with previous studies, N-nitrosamines exposures are associated with mortality from cancers of the bladder, lung, stomach, leukaemia, multiple myeloma, oesophagus, prostate, pancreas and liver. The long follow-up with nearly complete mortality enabled estimations of lifetime cancer mortality risk from occupational exposures in the rubber industry.

In his letter, Professor Sorahan1 poses an important question about our paper,2 namely, whether the results indicate that occupational exposures to agents such as rubber dust, rubber fumes and nitrosamines in the rubber industry are associated with increased risk of mortality from cancers of the bladder, lung, stomach, oesophagus, prostate, larynx, brain, pancreas, liver, and lymphatic and haematopoietic tissue. Sorahan argues that causation does not seem to be warranted since results from …

ObjectivesTo develop a quantitative historical job-exposure matrix (JEM) for rubber dust, rubber fumes and n-Nitrosamines in the British rubber industry for 1915–2002 to estimate lifetime cumulative exposure (LCE) for a cohort of workers with 49 years follow-up.MethodsData from the EU-EXASRUB database—rubber dust (n=4157), rubber fumes (n=3803) and n-Nitrosamines (n=10 115) collected between 1977 and 2002—were modelled using linear mixed-effects models. Sample year, stationary/personal measurement, industry sector and measurement source were included as fixed explanatory variables and factory as random intercept. Model estimates and extrapolations were used to construct a JEM covering all departments in both sectors of the rubber manufacturing industries for the years 1915–2002. JEM-estimates were linked to all cohort members to calculate LCE. Sensitivity analyses related to assumptions about extrapolation of time trends were also conducted.ResultsChanges in rubber dust exposures ranged from −6.3 %/year (crude materials/mixing) to −1.0 %/year (curing) and −6.5 %/year (crude materials/mixing) to +0.5 %/year (finishing, assembly and miscellaneous) for rubber fumes. Declines in n-Nitrosamines ranged from −17.9 %/year (curing) to −1.3 %/year (crude materials and mixing). Mean LCEs were 61 mg/m3-years (rubber dust), 15.6 mg/ m3-years (rubber fumes), 2483.2 µg/m3-years (n-Nitrosamines sum score), 18.6 µg/m3-years (N-nitrosodimethylamine) and 15.0 µg/m3-years (N-itrosomorpholine).ConclusionsAll exposures declined over time. Greatest declines in rubber dust and fumes were found in crude materials and mixing and for n-Nitrosamines in curing/vulcanising and preprocessing. This JEM and estimated LCEs will allow for evaluation of exposure-specific excess cancer risks in the British rubber industry.

IntroductionInorganic lead is considered a probable carcinogen by IARC (brain, lung, and stomach).MethodsWe conducted internal analyses via Cox regression of cancer incidence in two cohorts of lead-exposed workers with blood lead data (Finland, UK ), including almost 30 000 workers (20 752 in Finland and 9122 in the UK) and over 10 000 incident cancers. Our exposure metric was maximum annual blood lead (BL) test.ResultsThe combined cohort had a median maximum blood lead of 29 ug/dl, a mean first year BL test of 1977, and was 87% male. Forty-seven percent had more than 1 BL test. Significant (p<0.05) positive trends, using the log of each worker’s maximum BL, were found for brain cancer (malignant and benign combined), Hodgkins’s lymphoma, lung cancer, and rectal cancer, while significant negative trends were found for colon cancer and melanoma. A borderline significant positive trend (0.05≤p≤0.10) was found for esophageal cancer. Significant interactions by country were found only for lung cancer, with Finland showing a strong positive trend and the UK showing only a modest trend. However, in general trends were marked in Finland and weak or inconsistent in the UK.ConclusionsWe found strong positive incidence trends with increasing blood lead level, for several outcomes in internal analysis. Two of these, lung and brain cancer, were a priori suspected sites. Two of these outcomes are associated with smoking (lung and esophageal cancer), for which we had no data; however, we had no a priori reason to believe smoking differed between workers with different BL levels.

Objective Study carcinogenicity of inorganic lead, classified as ‘probably carcinogenic’ to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (brain, lung, kidney and stomach). Methods We conducted internal and external analyses for cancer incidence in two cohorts of 29 874 lead-exposed workers with past blood lead data (Finland, n=20 752, Great Britain=9122), with 6790 incident cancers. Exposure was maximum measured blood lead. Results The combined cohort had a median maximum blood lead of 29 μg/dL, a mean first blood lead test of 1977, and was 87% male. Significant (p<0.05) positive trends, using the log of maximum blood lead, were found for brain cancer (malignant), Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lung cancer and rectal cancer, while a significant negative trend was found for melanoma. Borderline significant positive trends (0.05≤p≤0.10) were found for oesophageal cancer, meningioma and combined malignant/benign brain cancer. Categorical analyses reflected these trends. Significant interactions by country were found for lung, brain and oesophageal cancer, with Finland showing strong positive trends, and Great Britain showing modest or no trends. Larynx cancer in Finland also showed a positive trend (p=0.05). External analyses for high exposure workers (maximum blood lead >40 μg/dL) showed a significant excess for lung cancer in both countries combined, and significant excesses in Finland for brain and lung cancer. The Great Britain data were limited by small numbers for some cancers, and limited variation in exposure. Conclusions We found strong positive incidence trends with increasing blood lead level, for several outcomes in internal analysis. Two of these, lung and brain cancer, were sites of a priori interest.

BackgroundThe International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined there is sufficient evidence that working in the rubber manufacturing industry increases the risk of cancers of the stomach, lung, bladder and leukaemia and lymphoma.ObjectivesTo examine mortality patterns of a prospective cohort of men from the rubber and cable manufacturing industries in Great Britain.MethodsSMRs were calculated for males aged 35+ years at start of follow-up in 1967–2015 using the population of England and Wales as the external comparator. Tests for homogeneity and trends in SMRs were also completed.ResultsFor all causes, all malignant neoplasms, non-malignant respiratory diseases and circulatory diseases, SMRs were significantly elevated, and also particularly for cancers of the stomach (SMR=1.26,95% CI 1.18 to 1.36), lung (1.25,95% CI 1.21 to 1.29) and bladder (1.16,95% CI 1.05 to 1.28). However, the observed deaths for leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma were as expected. Bladder cancer risks were elevated only in workers exposed to antioxidants containing 1-naphthylamine and 2-naphthylamine.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence of excess risks in the rubber industry for some non-cancer diseases and supports IARC’s conclusions in relation to risks for cancers of the bladder, lung and stomach, but not for leukaemia, NHL or multiple myeloma.

Exposure to sunlight can have both positive and negative health impacts. Excessive exposure to ultra-violet (UV) radiation from the sun can cause skin cancer, however insufficient exposure to sunlight has a detrimental effect on production of Vitamin D. In the construction industry there are onsite proactive behaviours for safety, but sun-safety remains a low priority. There is limited research on understanding the barriers to adopting sun-safe behaviours and the association this may have with Vitamin D production. This paper reports a protocol for an intervention study, using text messaging in combination with a supportive smartphone App. The intervention aims to both reduce UV exposure during months with higher UV levels and promote appropriate dietary changes to boost Vitamin D levels during months with low UV levels.

Rubber workers in Great Britain were historically exposed to various carcinogenic substances, including β-naphthylamine, which was removed from industrial processes in 1949. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) initiated in 1967 a prospective occupational cohort study of British rubber industry workers, including men 35 years of age and older, to examine cancer mortality (n=40 867, representing 381 factories). Findings from a 10 year follow-up of that cohort suggested excess mortality from cancers of the bladder, lung, and stomach, which differed by exposure to naphthylamines, as well as by industry sector and job code. The purpose of this analysis is to extend mortality follow-up through to 2015, allowing an assessment of cancers in older ages and with longer latency periods. As well as headline Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs) for the cancer subtypes previously investigated, we will present mortality risks for a range of causes including leukaemia, multiple myeloma, circulatory and respiratory diseases. We will use England and Wales reference rates to compare mortality by employment duration and sector in the rubber industry. Preliminary analysis of a majority subset of the cohort (n=34,595) to 2015 identified an elevated all cause SMR of 1.11 (95%CI 1.10–1.12). More detailed results from this multi-decade follow-up of workers from rubber manufacturing will provide valuable insights into cancer mortality risks for exposed occupational populations, both in the UK and elsewhere.

IARC concluded (IARC, 1982, 1987) there is sufficient evidence of a causal association between occupational exposures in the rubber-manufacturing industry and cancer. However, because of the complexity and variety of substances used in the process, a great deal of uncertainty regarding which specific exposures give rise to the increases in cancer remains. Moreover, since exposures in the rubber industry have decreased considerably and efforts have been made to remove confirmed carcinogens from the production process, it is unclear if increased cancer risks are (primarily) attributable to historical exposures. To quantitatively evaluate exposure-response associations between specific long-term occupational exposure and cancer mortality, we updated a cohort of 40 867 men aged 35+ who were employed in the British rubber industry in 1967. A previous follow-up to 1976 identified excess risk of bladder cancer in men, excess death from lung cancer across the industry and excess stomach cancer mortality in the tyre sector. Extending the mortality follow-up to 49 years, we are currently processing mortality data from NHS Digital and linking it to a population-specific quantitative job-exposure matrix for rubber (process) dust, rubber fumes, and n-Nitrosamines based on available data from the EU- EXASRUB project. We hope to begin exposure-response analyses in April 2017 (and present the results at the conference). Few occupational cohorts of this size have such lengthy follow-up, so the presented analyses will provide an important overview of lifetime exposure-specific cancer mortality risks of specific exposures historically and currently encountered in the industry.

The roots of knowledge transfer (KT) can be traced back to the 1960s and the development of conceptual frameworks to improve the use of research from theory into practice. Its relevance to occupational safety and health (OSH) is clear in that often practitioners are aiming to transfer knowledge to employees to reduce health or safety risks in the working environment. This paper examines methodologies and tools that can be used for KT in the organizational context and identified those that were most relevant in OSH. The methodology development process is described within the paper which used the Diffusion of Innovations theory as a framework to describe the type of knowledge being transferred, the persuasion route used, the decision of whether new knowledge was adopted, how the KT was implemented and how success or failure of an intervention could be assessed. Using this framework structured interviews and shorter employee surveys were developed to evaluate KT in an organizational setting after an OSH intervention. In addition, further questions were developed using KT tools to describe the properties of the knowledge transferred, the level of media richness and its appropriateness in a given context and examination of the methods used within a sender receiver framework. The methodology development process allowed the production of a question set to enable the research team to interview and survey stakeholders involved in OSH interventions in the workplace.

This article describes the structure, functionalities, and content of the Advanced REACH Tool (ART) exposure database (version 1.5). The incorporation of the exposure database into ART allows users who do not have their own measurement data for their exposure scenario, to update the exposure estimates produced by the mechanistic model using analogous measurement series selected from the ART exposure measurement database. Depending on user input for substance category and activity (sub)classes, the system selects exposure measurement series from the exposure database. The comprehensive scenario descriptions and summary statistics assist the user in deciding if the measurement series are indeed fully analogous. After selecting one or more analogous data sets, the data are used by the Bayesian module of the ART system to update the mechanistically modeled exposure estimates. The 1944 exposure measurements currently stored in the ART exposure measurement database cover 9 exposure situations for handling solid objects (n 65), 42 situations for handling powders, granules, or pelletized material (n 488), 5 situations for handling low-volatility liquids (n 88), 35 situations for handling volatile liquids (n 870), and 26 situations for handling liquids in which powders are dissolved or dispersed (resulting in exposure to mist) (n 433). These 117 measurement series form a good basis for supporting user exposure estimates. However, by increasing the diversity of exposure situations and the number of measurement series in the database, the usefulness of the ART system will be further improved. Suggestions to stimulate the process of sharing exposure measurement data both to increase the available data in the ART and for other purposes are made.

This paper provides an outline of the Advanced REACH Tool (ART) version 1.0 and a discussion of how it could be further developed. ART is a higher tier exposure assessment tool that combines mechanistically modelled inhalation exposure predictions with available exposure data using a Bayesian approach. ART assesses exposure for scenarios across different plants and sites. Estimates are provided for different percentiles of the exposure distribution and confidence intervals around the estimate. It also produces exposure estimates in the absence of data, but uncertainty of the estimates will decrease when results of exposure measurements are included. The tool has been calibrated using a broad range of exposure data and provides estimates for exposure to vapours, mists, and dusts. ART has a robust and stable conceptual basis but will be refined in the future and should therefore be considered an evolving system. High-priority areas for future research are identified in this paper and include the integration of partially analogous measurement series, inclusion of company and site-specific assessments, user decision strategies linked to ART predictions, evaluation of validity and reliability of ART, exploring the possibilities for incorporating the dermal route and integration of ART predictions with tools for modelling internal dose. ART is initially developed in the scope of REACH but is equally useful for exposure assessment in other areas.

REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of CHemicals) requires improved exposure models that can be incorporated into screening tools and refined assessment tools. These are referred to as tier 1 and 2 models, respectively. There are a number of candidate in tier 1 models that could be used with REACH. Tier 2 models, producing robust and realistic exposure assessments, are currently not available. A research programme is proposed in this paper that will result in a new, advanced exposure assessment tool for REACH. In addition, issues related to variability and uncertainty are discussed briefly, and some examples of tier 1 screening tools are presented. The proposed framework for the tier 2 tool is based on a Bayesian approach, and makes full use of mechanistically modelled estimates and any relevant measurements of exposure. The new approach will preclude the necessity to conduct of case-by-case exposure measurements for each chemical and scenario, since the system will allow for the use of analogous exposure data from relatively comparable scenarios. The development of the new approach requires substantial effort in the area of mechanistic modelling, database development and Bayesian statistical techniques. In this paper, the data gaps and areas for future research are identified to help realise and further improve this type of approach within REACH. A structured data collection and storage system is a central element of the research programme and the availability of this type of tool may also facilitate the sharing of exposure data down and up the supply chain. In addition, new data that are stored according to the proposed structure could enable the validation of any exposure model and thus this programme enhances the exposure assessment field as a whole.